Sign



Feb. 22, 1938. B, COMPTON 2,109,330

SIGN

Filed June 22, 1937 Winulnfll rmzssss 11 5 INVENTOR W Baies Compion/ BY J I Q 11. MWH-NEYS A'I'I'OR Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGN Bates Compton,

Vincentown, N. J.

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in signs and particularly to signs to be used for advertising and display purposes.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved sign adapted to be used for advertising and display purposes, in which the display portion of the sign which carries the advertising or other display matter is releasably held in a frame in such a manner that it may be readily removed and replaced by another display portion when desired, and yet when the sign is in use the display portion is firmly held in place.

A further object is the provision of a sign of the above character having an improved frame of light but durable construction which may be shipped in dismantled condition and may be readily and conveniently assembled at the place where it is desired to use the sign.

Among other objects is the provision in a sign of the above character of improved means for suspending the sign in a hanging position, and also of improved clamping members for releasably securing the display portion of the sign to the frame.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gasoline station showing a sign embodying my invention suspended in hanging position from a cable or wire;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sign;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view in the direction of the arrows. on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of a corner of the sign from the front, with portions thereof broken away so as to reveal the manner in which the display member is supported on the frame;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the corner of the frame taken from the rear;

Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of the display member showing the flaps which extend over the frame so as to releasably secure the member in position; and

Fig. 'l is a view of a. portion of one of the clamping members for releasably clamping the display member to the frame.

My invention is particularly suited for use in display or advertising signs and for this reason it is illustrated in the accompanying drawing as embodied in a sign of this character, although it should be understood that my invention may be employed in pictures and other display devices.

My improved sign, which is indicated generally by the numeral i0, is preferably formed of a frame Ii having a display member l2 releasably supported or mounted thereon by clips or clamping members H. The frame II is formed in the desired shape of the sign. Thus, since I prefer to employ a rectangular sign, although it is to be understood that signs of other shape and form may be employed, the frame is formed of four side members disposed at right angles to each other, so as to define a rectangle. Each of the sides of the frame is made of an angle strip or bar preferably formed of a light but durable material such as duralumin or aluminum. One of the sides of each of the angle strips indicated by the numeral l5 faces toward the center of the sign and extends rearwardly from the front thereof, while the other side, indicated at I6, extends outwardly from the center of the sign at the front thereof. The four sides of the frame are suitably fitted together as by means of beveled joints indicated at i1, 50 as to form a rectangle and the frame is held in assembled posi tion as by means of the right-angle braces I8, suitably fastened to the corners of the frame by means of the nuts and bolts i9. Due to the structure of the frame as heretofore described it will be observed that the frame may be shipped in knocked-down or dismantled condition to the place where the sign is may then be conveniently assembled for use by bolting the right-angle braces to the sides of the frame as shown and described herein.

The upstanding or vertical sides I6 of the frame angle-bars are each provided on the rear face thereof with a groove 20 extending the entire length thereof, the groove in each of the sides of the frame being similarly positioned and formed so that they meet at the respective ends as shown. As will be later explained, the grooves aid in securing the display member in position, and to this end the outer side of each groove, as most clearly shown at 2i in Fig. 3, is preferably in the form of a ledge disposed at right angles or perpendicular to the face of the sign, while the other side of the groove is disposed at a gradual angle merging at its inner end with the inner surface of the side l6 of the angle bar.

The display member I2 is preferably formed of a tough, flexible, weather-resisting material which can withstand rain, wind or the like without tearing and without unduly stretching or shrinking. For this purpose I have found that weather-resistant paper such as rope paper made from hemp or similar rope fibres, such as the paper sold under the trade-mark Tuff-Tite, or bowstring, is very satisfactory. The display member is of a size to cover the entire space defined by the frame and to have projecting edges to be used and the sign which may be folded over the top and rear face of the sides l6 of the frame. So as to eliminate folding and wrinkling of the display member at the corner I preferably provide each corner thereof with a notch or cut-out as indicated at 22, thereby providing projecting flaps 23 which are folded over the side and back of the frame as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. The flaps 23 should be of such length that they may be projected into the grooves 20 formed in the back of the portions I6 of the angle strips.

Where the display member i2 is made of a relatively tough material such as rope paper, to facilitate the assembling of the display member on the frame I preferably provide the flaps 23 with fold lines as indicated at 24, positioned so as to fit over the corners of the front and rear of the frame and into the grooves 20. The fold lines are so formed that when they are fitted to the corners of the frame the display member will be stretched relatively tightly between the frame members.

To releasably secure the display member to the frame I provide a plurality of clips or clamping members l4 adapted to fit over the sides I6 of each angle strip or bar and project into the groove 20. To provide a symmetrically uniform appearance I preferably provide four clamping members as illustrated, one for each of the sides of the frame, each clamping member being adapted to extend substantially the entire length of the side of the frame to which it is applied.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the clamping members 14 applied to the top and bottom of the frame extend the entire length of the frame, while the clamping members applied to the sides of the frame extend between the top and bottom clamping members. Each of the clamping members is of similar construction and is preferably formed of a resilient or spring material which is weather-resistant, such as stainless steel, and comprises a longitudinal portion 25 adapted to fit over the top of the frame, an integral, downwardly depending portion 26 of a size to fit over the front of the frame, and an integral, downwardly depending portion 21 adapted to fit over the rear face of the side l6 of the frame. The portion 21 of each clamping member is folded or bent so as to provide a longitudinal rib 28 corresponding in shape and adapted to fit into the grooves 20 formed in the rear face of the frame. The clamping members 27 are so formed as to tightly engage the sides N5 of the angle bars forming the frame, and when the display member has been applied to the frame as shown and the clamping member superimposed thereon so that the rib 28 projects into the groove 20 the display member will be firmly held in position. The clamping members may be conveniently removed by inserting a screw-driver or similar implement beneath the portion 21 thereof and removing the rib 28 from the groove, permitting the clamping member to then be withdrawn over the edge of the frame. Because of their shape the clamping members aid in drawing the display member taut between the sides of the frame. This is due to the fact that as the clamping members are assembled on the frame and pressed toward the center of the sign the ribs 28 frictionally engage the flaps 23, thereby pulling the display member toward the edges of the frame.

A sign made in accordance with my present invention may be displayed in any convenient place; however, I prefer to suspend the sign in hanging position so that it may sway in the breeze and thereby attract attention. To this end I preferably secure a pair of hooks 29 to the top of the frame, the hooks being formed of a resilient material and having openings 30 which face downwardly. To suspend the sign, the hooks 29 are preferably placed over the cable or wire such as indicated at 30 in Figure 1, which may be supported in some suitable manner, as being extended between the top of a gas station and a sign post as shown. The opening 30 is preferably smaller than the cable or wire to which the hook is applied, so that the insertion of the cable in the hook or its removal therefrom requires distortion of the hook. Due to the fact that the hook is made of spring metal it will be appreciated that the cable may be conveniently inserted or removed from the hook, but the size of the opening prevents the inadvertent removal of the cable from the hook as when the sign sways in a breeze.

Suitable display material such as pictures, ad vertising matter or the like are placed upon the display member l2. From time to time when it is desired to display new matter from the sign the display member l2 can be conveniently replaced by a new display member having new matter thereon.

In using my sign it will be appreciated that the frame can be shipped to the place where the sign is to be used, in knocked-down or dismantled condition, and the frame can then be conveniently assembled. The display member i2 is then applied to the frame and the clips l4 secured over the frame so as to retain the display member in position. The sign is then suspended in some convenient manner as from the cable 30. When it is desired to replace the display member with a new display member the clips or clamping members l4 may be readily removed and a new display member applied to the sign and the clamping members again secured in position.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided an improved sign particularly suited for display or advertising purposes, which is provided with a light but durable frame which may be shipped in a dismantled or knocked-down condition and readily assembled at the point where it is to be used, and which is provided with a releasable display member firmly but releasably held in position by an improved type of clamping arrangement.

It should of course be understood that modifications may be made in the illustrated and described embodiment of my invention without departing from the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A sign or the like, comprising a frame formed with a groove in one face thereof, a display member formed of a sheet of flexible material extending over the frame and projecting into the groove, and means including a clip fitted over the frame on top of the flexible member and engaging in the groove for releasably holding the display member in position.

2. A sign or the like comprising a rectangular frame formed of light but durable material and having a groove in the rear face of each side of the frame extending substantially the entire length thereof, a display member formed of flexible tough sheet material extending over the frame and projecting into the grooves, and four clamping members releasably fitted over the respective sides of the frame and projecting into the grooves for holding the display member in position.

3. A sign or the like comprising a frame formed of angle bars fitted together so as to form a rectangular frame, each angle bar having one portion facing towards the center of the frame and extending towards the rear thereof, another portion facing towards the front of the frame and extending away from the center thereof, the last-mentioned portion being formed with a groove in the rear face thereof, a display member formed of flexible material extended between the sides of the frame and folded over the angle bars so as to project into the grooves, and releasable clamping means fitted to said angle bars and projecting into the grooves for holding the display member in position.

4. A sign or the like comprising a frame formed of angle bars fitted together so as to form a rectangular frame, each angle bar having one portion facing towards the center of the frame and extending towards the rear thereof, another portion facing towards the front of the frame and extending away from the center thereof, the last-mentioned portion being formed with a groove in the rear face thereof, a display member formed of flexible material extended between the sides of the frame and folded over the angle bars so as to project into the grooves, and releasable clamping members fitted over the last-mentioned portions of the angle bars extending substantially the entire length of each side of the frame and formed so as to project into the grooves for holding the display member in position.

5. A sign made of angle bars fitted together so as to form a rectangular frame, each angle bar having one portion facing towards the center of the frame and extending towards the rear thereof and another portion facing towards the front of the frame and extending away from the center thereof, the last-mentioned portion being formed with a groove in the rear face thereof, and releas able clamping members fitted over the last-mentioned portions of the angle bars and extending substantially the entire length of each side of the frame and formed so as to project into the grooves for holding a display member in position on the frame.

BATES COMPTON. 

